6 Reasons Your Online Business if Failing

Many people start a business with the best of intentions but they fail. It doesn't matter how good their idea is or whether they've done their research and they know it's a solutions that people want and can use. They are stuck in a rut and don't know where to turn or worse go out of business with no idea why.

Here are the 6 basic reasons most businesses fail (both online and offline).

1.       Perfectionist. Holding out until everything is perfect will not gain you clients, customers or even make you money. There's no such thing as a perfect product (think Microsoft's cavalcade of Office products); there's no such thing as a perfect website (Keebler had 5 misspelled words on their homepage introduction in 2009); there's no such thing as the perfect time - remember the stock market has crashed how many times but GE and Hewlett Packard (both launched during the Great Depression) are still alive and thriving. Stop waiting for perfection. It won't come ever and procrastination only leads to depression, bitterness and being broke. Did we mention failure?

2.       No Target Audience. How many times have you asked someone who their product is for and they say "everyone"? Really? Well not everyone is going to need your solution or want it. That's a simple fact. In fact you only need 12 good customers to make your business a success so try finding those 12 first by knowing what they're problems are and how your product solves them.

3.       Marketing First. Okay this goes along with having no defined target audience. Seriously who are you marketing to? That's like the dog that chases every car that passes on a street. Sooner or later it's either going to get hit (hopefully not) or pass out in the yard from exhaustion (hopefully). But it won't catch a car or know what to do with one when it does?

4.       Waiting to Attract Clients. Okay, so you put out your shingle, bought the business cards and had the flyers printed up. You have a nice new office or sign in your yard or on your house (wherever you're working from) but you have no clients. Why? Because you didn't put the word out before doing all of this about your company. You didn't "advertise" your service amongst your peers, family and friends so they'll help you by spreading the word to people who need a referral to someone like you. Don't wait until after you've hung out the shingle to start letting people know about your business or service. That's too late.

This is not the same as marketing first. When you put the feelers out with your peers, family and friends you are asking them to send you referrals and telling them what solutions you provide. You are asking them to send you people that have problems that your solutions will work for. That means you have defined your audience and you know whom to ask them to send you.

5.       Selling Before Serving. Okay people want solutions to their problems which means they want service. It's that simple. Don't sell them on your service; talk to them and find out the lay of the land. What is their specific problem, ask them for details and then find out if they are willing to or are open to receiving the solutions you provide. They may accept your help of service or they may not but at least you didn't try to attack them like a used car salesmen putting them off.

Once you find out their circumstances you may be able to negotiate an arrangement even if you do it on speck for them in exchange for referrals and a testimonial. It's still a way to get your name known and generate clients. The referrals can be "in lieu" of payment as discounts you take off for each one that signs up for your service based upon the initial person's recommendation. So they don't have to know why you did it for them for free they might believe that it's a good thing that they can help others out who are in a position to pay.

6.       Not Selling at All. Okay do you need to read this? Do you need to hear it? You know you've heard it before...If you are not selling you're not in business. That's the cold hard truth. Whether you fancy being a sales person or not; you are. You have been your whole life only know your life and livelihood depend on it. The next time you tell yourself you are not a salesperson remember the first time you had to convince your spouse to go on that first date or to convince your boss to give you that promotion. Sure looks and performance help but big deal; remember everyone that was vying for your spouse's attention were probably attractive etc. or for your promotion had just as much hard work. You had to sell to get what you wanted.

Now do it again only do it like your "life" depends on it.

by I. Vitt Argent,
producer of Biz Talk with Dr. Ande
SEO Tips for Small Business
SEO Tips 4 SME Blog
author of, Dr. Ande's Success Tips for Women in Small Business, Dr. Ande's SEO Tips for Improved ROI & 65 Success Tips for Affiliate Marketers